PARENTS have hit out at a decision to host a major Bradford sports tournament during Eid.

Bradford School Games will take place today at University Academy Keighley - a day when many children will be celebrating the religious holiday to mark the end of Ramadan.

Several schools in the district organise training days to give children time off to spend with their families, and many will not be able to attend the games because of family commitments.

However, the city-wide tournament for Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Special Schools in sports including tennis, tag rugby, netball and football, is going ahead regardless, with the victors winning the chance to represent West Yorkshire in a regional schools tournament later this summer.

Dad Daniel Kennedy has slammed the timing of the event after his son, a pupil at Steeton Primary School, was due to play at the tournament.

He said: “Given the make-up of both the population and religious persuasion of our area this seems, at best, like a grossly inconsiderate decision, and one that punishes all the Muslim children who have been practicing all year for this event and will now not be able to compete.

“Additionally, it also punishes a lot of non-Muslim children who are now unable to compete; whether it be as a result of their school being closed for Eid, their team now having insufficient players, or their school making a decision to pull out of the tournament on principle; in exactly the same fashion."

Finals day will involve approximately 1,000 young athletes from across Bradford, competing to be crowned Bradford Schools Champions.

Kevin Wheeler, Head of School at Steeton Primary School, has scheduled today as a training day for his staff to allow youngsters to spend Eid with their families.

He told the Telegraph & Argus he has not taken the decision to pull the school out of the tournament, but said it was difficult for children to attend on a day when they have already made plans with their family.

He said: "We are closed on Friday, but have given families the opportunity to take a team, but many of them can’t go.

“If we had enough parents with children willing to go then we would have taken them.

“It’s regrettable the dates have clashed because we had this training day booked in last year.

“Parents have known about this training day for a year and have other commitments.”

The organisers declined to comment when they were asked why the games were being held during Eid.